I went into labour at 3 am on the 8th of March. At first I thought it was braxton hicks but as it kept a happening I realised Bub was on his way. I tried to sleep as much as I could but by 7 am  I gave up and started to get ready to go to hospital. I wanted to get to hospital asap as I was worried something was going to go wrong. The first time I rang the hospital they said it was fine for me to come in so at 8:30 I headed to hospital. On the way I called them again to tell them I was coming and a different midwife told me to stay home as I was in early labour but I didn’t want to stay home so she rudely told me I would have to have contractions in the waiting room.

When I got there, the midwife who answered my phone call checked through my notes and checked my cervix, I was only 3 cm. I had antibodies which is a rare type of antibodies, my partner also had it so we thought Bub was going to be born anemic and I wanted everything to be prepared in case he needed special treatment.

I was moved into a private room in the maternity ward as they needed the birthing unit I was in. I bounced and rolled my hips on an exercise ball and stood up and swayed my hips through my contractions, I had been doing breathing exercises for a few weeks so I was very focused on breathing my way through the pain. I had a shower and ate some lunch as the hours past by and a lovely midwife checked on me to tell me I was not near having him as I was calm between contractions. As my contractions became stronger I had another shower and rubbed the hot water on my belly through contractions, still focusing on my breathing.

I decided to get out and go lean on the bed but as the next contraction happened I had lost my breathing and was screaming in pain, I couldn’t hold myself up and couldn’t get on the bed so my partner had to hold me up while I yelled at my mum to get the midwife as I could feel him drop lower and I knew he was ready to come out, my partner helped me get my breathing under control and they brought in a wheelchair to take me to the birthing units.

I wasn’t comfortable anywhere and I was too weak to hold myself up and my sister suggested I hop in the bath, so as they filled up the bath they gave me gas and checked my cervix, I was then 9 cm.

Thanks to the gas, I was off my head and didn’t realise the things I was saying and how much time had passed, it was all a bit of a blur but I did hear them say they had lost my notes and my mum had to tell them about the antibodies I had, I started to worry because they weren’t prepared but I forgot about it as my next contractions came and I had more gas. Finally, the bath was full and I could get in, I instantly felt better, the lights were dimmed and I was just floating, I still had gas every contraction.

Not too long after that I could feel him coming and I wanted to push, more midwives came in and I squeezed my partners hand as my mum held me out of water I pushed each contraction but I was weak and off my head on gas so the took the gas away and moved my feet onto the steps So I could push down harder.

I don’t know how long I was pushing for but finally he was coming out, my sister and partner both told me he had lots of hair then my partner told me he could see his ear and then his whole head was out, he was facing sideways and I could feel his hair move on my thigh as he turned the right way up, a minute later I pushed out the rest of him and he was on my chest making little cries, it was such an emotional moment, my partner dropped next to me and we both cried of happiness to finally meet him.

The cord was cut straight away because it needed to be tested and Bub was passed to my partner as I got out of the bath. Turns out Bub didn’t get this rare antibody and was perfectly healthy.

Oliver James was born at 4:49 pm on the 8th of March, weighing in at 6 pound 15 ounces and 49 cm long. I couldn’t believe the love and happiness I felt, it was the best day of my life. We had a great first feed and instantly bonded, he was so calm and perfect. Oliver is now 5.5 months old and my love and happiness grows stronger everyday. He is the best thing to ever happen to me.

Guest Blog @ Relaxed Parenting by Madi, Mid North Coast, Australia 

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